Preview: The Knights of Voyagean
by Pepper9873
Summary: While babysitting Naomi, Rebi, Mezoti, Azan, and Icheb with B'Elanna, Tom decides to tell the children a story about knights, using some strangely familiar characters and plots.


A/N: This is the official prologue for the Knights of Voyagean. Pretty much, Tom is retelling Voyager's story only with a knightly twist. I plan on going from Season One to probably the beginning of Season Seven, since I have Rebi, Mezoti, and Azan in the story.

I most likely won't try to start posting the actual story until I have Season One complete.

If you read this please review. I would really like to know if I should continue with the story, or just forget about it. Thank you.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in the story. They are the respectful property of Paramount; I just write stories about them.

* * *

Tom and B'Elanna sat quietly at the bottom of one of the alcoves in Cargo Bay: Two, as Naomi, Mezoti, Azan, Rebi, and Icheb sat on the floor putting together a two-thousand piece puzzle of the Alpha Quadrant.

Seven was on an away mission for several days, along with Neelix and Samantha Wildman, so the two had agreed to watch the children until they returned.

Puzzles pieces were scattered over the floor, with chunks of put-together pieces in random places.

"Where's the piece that finishes Saturn's ring?" Mezoti asked as she scanned the room.

"I think it's near Lieutenant Torres' foot," Icheb responded.

B'Elanna looked down, and picked up the piece in question.

"Try again next time," she replied. She held the piece out to show a blue edge of Earth.

"I'm _bored_," Naomi said, dropping the piece she was holding.

"Me, too," Azan stated. Rebi shook his head in agreement.

"But we just started the puzzle," Icheb said.

"You can come back to it later, Icheb," B'Elanna said. "What would you guys like to do now?"

"We could go on an adventure with Flotter and Trevis," Naomi suggested.

"The holo-deck is booked till tomorrow afternoon."

"Oh."

"I have an idea," Tom stated.

"What?" everyone asked in unison.

"How about I tell you a story?"

The children -including Icheb- formed a circle around Tom and sat down.

"Once upon a time…"

**Tom -wearing an embroidered purple tunic, brown pants, and black leather boots- comes galloping out of the woods on a white stallion, his light brown cape flows behind him as the horse's hooves eat up the ground. The horse stops suddenly, and rears as high as it can. It whinnies and paws at the air, then slowly comes down onto all fours. Its rider sits regally in the saddle as he stares off into the distance, his chin length blonde hair, and the horse's silver mane, blows gently in the breeze.**

"…there lived a knight, named Sir Tomen. But Sir Tomen wasn't just any old knight; he was the bravest, fiercest, most handsome knight that the people of Alphquadria had ever known."

B'Elanna rolled her eyes.

"Now, Sir Tomen's father, Sir Owren, -who just so happened to be a knight as well- belonged to a special order of knights: the Fleet of Stars, which only the best of knights could join. And since Sir Tomen was, as I mentioned before, the bravest knight, he was a shoe-in to join his father in the Fleet of Stars. So, of course, he did.

**He kneels before seven older knights in a grand chamber. The middle knight comes close to him, and waits for his servant to bring him a newly polished sword. The knight announces Tom's acceptance into their order, and lightly brings the tip of the sword down onto both of Tom's shoulders. **

"When Sir Tomen came of age, he began training with many teachers -including his own father- so that he could better serve the order."

**Tom is sparring with his father. Their swords gleam as the sun hits them, and the resonating sound of metal against metal is heard throughout the countryside.**

"All was going fairly well for Sir Tomen, until three years into his training when Sir Tomen had a little too much to drink at a par... banquet, and accidentally killed four peop… uh, magic cows."

**Tom's beautiful clothes are tattered and torn as he stands by the bodies of the 'magic cows'.**

"Nice save," B'Elanna said sarcastically.

Tom glared at her, then continued, "The knights of the Fleet of Star were appalled when they heard the news, so disgracefully they cast Sir Tomen out of his training."

**He runs as fast as he can as the knights of the Fleet of Stars chase after him on horseback. He comes to a steep hill, and stumbles as he tries to run down it. The knights stop their horses at the edge of the hill, and watch as Tom spirals to the bottom. **

**At the bottom, Tom cautiously picks himself off the cold, hard ground as the sun slowly sets. Slightly dazed, he examines his surroundings. He looks up at the top of the hill, and sees the knights glaring down at him with disdain. Slowly, he walks off towards the sunset, and although he cannot see his face, he knows his father is deeply ashamed of him.**

"They threw him out because he killed cows?" Icheb asked, his tone disbelieving.

"Not just any cows, Icheb, _magic_ cows. Now, who's telling the story here?"

"I'll stay quiet."

Tom picked up from where he left off, "Alone in the world, Sir Tomen found himself in a little town called Marcy, which was in the kingdom of Franconia. He soon located a quaint little pub, named Sandren's, which he quickly became quite fond of. He would stay there all day and all night, and flush away his shame and sorrow with the finest ale that Franconia had to offer."

**He sits on a stool at the bar and stares into the clear, empty mug. Still staring into the mug, he raises his hand to signal the bartender to send him yet another drink. The bartender slides a foaming pint of ale across the counter and into Tom's awaiting hand.**

**In three large gulps, Tom chugs down the contents of the mug. Banging the mug down on the counter, he lets out a large sigh and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand to remove the foam from his lips. With a loud, thunderous thud, his head hits the counter as he passes out drunk.**

"Then -on a day that Sir Tomen was felling extra depressed about the pathetic mess his life had turned into, that he was working very hard on making the feeling go away-…"

**Tom sits at a small table by the door with three older men. Eleven empty mugs litter the table. The men cheer Tom on as he gulps down a twelfth mug of ale. The begin to groan as he raises his hands in victory; reluctantly, they reach into their pockets and hand Tom two silver coins each as they mumble words that sound like "rip off".**

**He thanks the men, and pockets the money.**

"…he heard news that a renegade order of knights, the Maquistadors, were in desperate need of someone to transport supplies through various lands protected by the Fleet of Stars, and deliver them to the Maquistadors that needed them."

**He stands at the wheel of a small cargo ship. The sails flap rapidly in protest against the strong wind, signaling an on-coming storm. The ship rolls over the ever-growing waves. The sky darkens, and the heavens release a torrent of rain. The only light that can be seen are the inconsistent lightning strikes.**

"With nothing to lose, Sir Tomen eagerly took up the job"

"It seems highly illogical that Sir Tomen would join renegade knights. Especially if his father was with such esteemed knights," Mezoti said.

"Logic had nothing to do with his decision," Tom corrected, "His life was meaningless to him, so he didn't care what he was doing, or who he was doing it with. And he certainly didn't care about what happened to him."

"Then why would the Maquistadors want a careless, no-good drunk in in charge of their supplies?" Rebi asked.

"Because they were desperate. May I continue?"

They both shook their heads.

"On his voyage, Sir Tomen met many Maquistador knights. One in particular was Sir Chakoro."

**Chakotay pulls hard on the sail ropes. His shoulder length, black hair blows in the gentle, salty breeze**.

"He didn't like Sir Tomen very much. In fact, he thought Sir Tomen had no business being a knight, let alone a Maquistador.

"Sir Chakoro used to be a member of the Fleet of Stars back in his much younger days. But he -like the other Maquistadors- didn't like the treaty -that the Fleet of Stars were sworn to protect- with the Guardians of Cardasie. He-"

"'Guardians of Cardasie'?" B'Elanna interrupted.

Tom stared at her coldly.

She put her hands up defensively. "Alright, alright. I'll stay quiet."

"_Promise_?"

"Promise."

Tom kept his eyed on her as he went back to his story.

"_Any_way, Sir Chakoro, therefore, joined forces with the Maquistadors; and now that I've bored you with some of Sir Chakoro's back story, let's get back to the main plot.

"Three weeks after joining the Maquistadors, Sir Tomen found himself in a very tight spot. The Fleet of Stars had somehow heard of what Sir Tomen was up to. In a stroke of bad luck on Sir Tomen's part -the Fleet of Stars managed to capture him, and sentenced him to a life of imprisonment, on an island called Old Zel."

**Tom is in rags and is being lead away by two men on horseback. His arms are crossed in front of him; his wrists are bond together by two strong ropes, the ends of which are tied to the men's saddles. He lets his head hang as he drags his feet, and follows slowly behind the horses.**

"Lieutenants: Paris and Torres, please report to your stations," Captain Janeway's voice came over the comm.

B'Elanna pressed her combadge.

"On our way."

They stood up to leave.

"But what about the rest of the story?" Naomi protested.

"I'll tell you the rest when I get back," Tom promised.

"I can watch them until you get back," Icheb offered.

"Thanks, Icheb."

The two left the room. When the doors closed behind them, Icheb sat back down on the floor. "Shall we finish this puzzle?"

Grudgingly, the others went about searching for pieces.

*

"Was it really that bad? B'Elanna asked Tom as they walked down the corridor towards the turbolift.

"Worse," he answered solemnly.

B'Elanna wrapped her arms around Tom's right one and gently rested her head against his shoulder. She craned her head to kiss him softly on the cheek, as they continued to head towards the Bridge.


End file.
